Marvel Comics was the leading publisher in Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares based on total sales of comics, graphic novels and magazines to comic book specialty stores during the calendar year 2009, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.

PUBLISHER MARKET SHARESBased on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in Calendar Year 2009

PUBLISHER

QUANTITY SHARE

DOLLAR SHARE

MARVEL COMICS

45.63%

40.47%

DC COMICS

32.22%

29.28%

DARK HORSE COMICS

4.05%

5.16%

IDW PUBLISHING

3.49%

4.17%

IMAGE COMICS

3.25%

3.67%

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

2.16%

2.17%

BOOM! STUDIOS

1.22%

1.31%

VIZ MEDIA

0.81%

1.67%

ARCHIE COMICS

0.71%

0.49%

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

0.64%

0.87%

AVATAR PRESS

0.58%

0.74%

ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT

0.39%

0.48%

ASPEN MLT

0.29%

0.23%

DEVIL'S DUE PUBLISHING

0.27%

0.32%

EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS

0.27%

1.17%

BONGO COMICS

0.26%

0.22%

RANDOM HOUSE

0.24%

0.72%

TOKYOPOP

0.24%

0.58%

BLUEWATER PRODUCTIONS

0.19%

0.20%

GEMSTONE PUBLISHING

0.19%

0.10%

OTHER NON-TOP 20

2.89%

5.97%

Unit Market Share – 2009

Dollar Market Share – 2009

This information may not be reproduced in any format without the express permission of Diamond Comic Distributors.

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond’s sales charts – which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts – are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 4,000+ accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout the world. The account base includes not only brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, but also Internet stores, chain stores, and other specialty stores.

Unit and Retail Dollar sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.